Heating pad cover

ABSTRACT

A fabric cover for a heating pad having an exposed surface of the cover comprising a fabric with a nap of loose closed loop nonmatting plush pile and a strap or extension of the cover, attached at one end to the cover and a strip of Velcro hook material secured at the other end thereof on the side opposite the plush pile surface of the cover so that when the cover, enclosing the pad, and the extension are wrapped about a person, the Velcro hook will come in contact with the plush pile and secure itself thereto to hold the pad about the wearer and provide for infinitely adjustable attachment.

United States Patent 2,617,916 11/1952 Neidnig 219/527 2,842,655 7/1958 Schwebel 219/527 2,970,597 2/1961 Michel 128/482 3,086,529 4/1963 Munz et al.. 128/171 X 3,178,559 4/1965 Fogel et al. 219/527 Primary Examiner-Volodymyr Y. Mayewsky Attorneys-F. H. Henson and E. C. Arenz ABSTRACT: A fabric cover for a heating pad having an exposed surface of the cover comprising a fabric with a nap of loose closed loop nonmatting plush pile and a strap or extension of the cover, attached at one end to the cover and a strip of Velcro hook material secured at the other end thereof on the side opposite the plush pile surface of the cover so that when the cover, enclosing the pad, and the extension are wrapped about a person, the Velcro hook will come in contact with the plush pile and secure itself thereto to hold the pad about the wearer and provide for infinitely adjustable attachmenl.

PATENTEDNUV 30 l97l Fl G. 2

INVENTOR DAVID B. PRICE ATTORNEY 1 HEATING PAD COVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1-. i ld f the Invention.

The invention relates to a fabric covering for therapeutic apparatus and more particularly to a fabric cover for a heating pad on the body of the wearer and providing infinitely variable adjus m n Descrip ion of the Prior .Art

Covers of the type generally disclosed herein are used to enclose a heating pad of weil kn own sen he wearer an he pa t is als well known to provide such covers with means such cover s ch as thisis dis losed in US. Pat. No. 1. 7 Use of straps such as th se tended to be aw w in that y buckling, or snapping them required at least both hands of the he t or back.

The present invention one surfacev 0f the cover and Strap comprises a suitable material having a loose, closed loop, nonmatting pile which is readily grasped by the Velcro hooks. A strip of Velcro hook material DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of heating pad cover according to the present invention enclosing a heating pad of well-known shape;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line Ill-Ill of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the heating pad cover; and

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the cover of FIG. 4 in a flat, folded position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The cover 10 is shown in FIG. I enclosing a heating pad of a well-known configuration and generally comprises an envelope or container having a front and back face 11 and 12 means such as a zipper or snaps 17 so that the pad is retained within the cover 10. It is evident that the opening can be placed anywhere in the cover and that for the purposes of this invention, it is not necessary that it be along the periphery but could also be an opening in either face.

Extending from the periphery of the cover 10 and at one end thereof is an extension or strap 18 that can either be an inof such a material is available from Charles W. Fifield Jr. Co. Inc., Boston, Massachusetts, under the name of MAR-LON.

In using the cover 10 containing a heating pad, the wearer can place it over the portion of the body to be heated and wrap the cover and extension so as to tightly encircle the body and press the Velcro strip against any exposed area of the plush surface of the cover so that the pad remains in place on the wearer.

the free end of the extension in which although the cover would not be reversible it would still finitely adjustable.

Referring to FIG. 4, another cover 24 is shown which encloses the more conventional rectangular heating pad and which can be used in the same manner described above. However, rather than obtaining the desired overall length to enable the cover to be retained about the torso of the wearer by one length extension, the cover 24 has two shorter extensions 26 case, be inand 28 with the Velcro hook material 19 attached to the free end of only one extension 28. Also, the cover 24 of FIG. 4 is shown as not having the closed loop nonmatting plush pile on the face 30 on which the Velcro hook material 19 is attached.

The extensions 26 and 28 can be folded to a flat unobtrusive position such as shown in FIG. 5, and held there by the Velcro hook material 19 on extension 28 engaging the back face of extension 34 which is made from the above-identified closed loop plush fabric. It is to be understood that in this instance the back faces of the cover 24 and extensions 26; 28, (the faces opposite the view of FIG, 4) are made of such material whereas the front face can be made of any suitable material and not necessarily one that engagingly cooperates with the Velcro hook material. It is also apparent that the ability of extensions 26 and 28 to be held in a flat position on cover 24 is also provided for in the single extension 18 of cover by folding the extension 18 so as to overlie the cover and pressing the Velcro hook material 19 into retaining engagement with the closed loop nap of the fabric.

Thus, a versatile, low-cost cover is provided having integral attaching means so that the cover containing the pad can be securely held on the body, the attachment means being capable of securing the cover to the body throughout an infinitely variable range of circumferences with the largest circumference preferably capable of enclosing an adult torso. Further, the attaching means are able to be secured in a flat generally unobtrusive position when not being employed to retain the cover and pad onthe body of the wearer.

lclaim:

l. Envelope means for containing a heating pad and flexible attachment means for supporting said envelope means on the body of a user, said envelope means and attachment means integrally connected along common ends and wherein:

said attachment means comprises a single strap;

at least one face of said strap and said envelope means includes a fabric characterized by a closed loop nap extending substantially along the full length of each;

a strip of hook material secured to said strap at an end opposite said common end and on a face opposite said closed loop nap for releasable engagement with said closed loop nap when in a face to face relationship;

whereby,

said envelope means and said attachment means can tightly encircle appropriate portions of the body of the user for support thereon for variable adjustment up to substantially any circumferential distance less than the total length of said envelope means and said strap.

2. Envelope means for containing a heating pad and flexible attachment means for supporting said envelope means on the body of a user, said envelope means and attachment means integrally connected along common ends and wherein:

said attachment means comprises two straps, each of said straps extending from and connected to opposite ends of said envelope means;

at least one face of said straps and said envelope means includes a fabric characterized by a closed loop nap extending substantially along the full length of each;

a strip of hook material secured to one of said straps of said attachment means at an end opposite said common end and on a face opposite said closed loop nap for releasable engagement with said closed loop nap, whereby,

said envelope means and said attachment means can tightly encircle appropriate portions of the body of the user for support thereon for variable adjustment up to substantially any circumferential distance less than the total length of said envelope means and attachment means.

3. The envelope means and attachment means of claim 2 wherein said fabric characterized by a closed loop nap is secured along the length of both faces of said envelope means and said strap; and,

said hook material is secured to each face whereby;

either face of said envelope means and strap can be readily rilaced next to the body of the user. 4. he envelope and attachment means of claim 3 whereln said fabric characterized by a closed loop nap is secured along the length of both faces of said envelope and attachment means; and,

said hook material is secured to both faces of said attachment means; whereby, either face of said envelope and attachment means can be readily placed next to the body of the user.

l l i i of said strap;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 3623u85 Dated November 30, 1971 lnventoflfi) David Bowen Price It is certified that error appears in the aboveidentified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 6, after "pad" insert with means for securing the heating pad Column 4, line 26, cancel "2" and substitute l Signed and sealed this 27th day of June 1 972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOI'TSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents ORM PC3-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 50375-P69 fl U 5 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 19.9 O35fl-33i 

1. Envelope means for containing a heating pad and flexible attachment means for supporting said envelope means on the body of a user, said envelope means and attachment means integrally connected along common ends and wherein: said attachment means comprises a single strap; at least one face of said strap and said envelope means includes a fabric characterized by a closed loop nap extending substantially along the full length of each; a strip of hook material secured to said strap at an end opposite said common end and on a face opposite said closed loop nap for releasable engagement with said closed loop nap when in a face to face relationship; whereby, said envelope means and said attachment means can tightly encircle appropriate portions of the body of the user for support thereon for variable adjustment up to substantially any circumferential distance less than the total length of said envelope means and said strap.
 2. Envelope means for containing a heating pad and flexible attachment means for supporting said envelope means oN the body of a user, said envelope means and attachment means integrally connected along common ends and wherein: said attachment means comprises two straps, each of said straps extending from and connected to opposite ends of said envelope means; at least one face of said straps and said envelope means includes a fabric characterized by a closed loop nap extending substantially along the full length of each; a strip of hook material secured to one of said straps of said attachment means at an end opposite said common end and on a face opposite said closed loop nap for releasable engagement with said closed loop nap, whereby, said envelope means and said attachment means can tightly encircle appropriate portions of the body of the user for support thereon for variable adjustment up to substantially any circumferential distance less than the total length of said envelope means and attachment means.
 3. The envelope means and attachment means of claim 2 wherein said fabric characterized by a closed loop nap is secured along the length of both faces of said envelope means and said strap; and, said hook material is secured to each face of said strap; whereby; either face of said envelope means and strap can be readily placed next to the body of the user.
 4. The envelope and attachment means of claim 3 wherein said fabric characterized by a closed loop nap is secured along the length of both faces of said envelope and attachment means; and, said hook material is secured to both faces of said attachment means; whereby, either face of said envelope and attachment means can be readily placed next to the body of the user. 